How to Handle a Stressful Job

Whether you’re dealing with several different clients or customer issues or trying to race the clock to meet a strict deadline, we’ve all probably dealt with stress on the job before. Just because stress at work is common doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Stress is a Silent Killer

Do you view stress as a serious issue, or do you just brush it off as predicament that so many people experience? Stress is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ because it produces numerous health-related problems that most people tend to overlook or fail to attribute it as the true cause of their issues.

A study conducted by OfficeVibe found the following shocking statistics related to workplace inflicted stress.

77% of people in offices across the country are regularly experiencing physical malfunctions caused by stress

73% regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress

48% reported lying awake at night due to stress

54% said stress caused them to fight with people close to them

87% of workers worldwide are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive

After processing all these statistics, it’s clear that stress can cause a wide variety of health and non-related health issues that can have a negative effect on your life.

So if stress is unhealthy and can lead to all these issues, why do we put up with stressful jobs? Most people do it for the money of course. Being able to provide for yourself or support your family and meet their basic needs can help eliminate some financial stress, but if your job is stressing you out physically and emotionally, your efforts will defeat the entire purpose.

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to improve the way you handle stress at or away from work.

Start by Determining the Source of your Stress

When it’s time to work, identify which settings, circumstances or tasks make you feel anxious or overwhelmed. These feelings often trigger stress. Once you identify some of those work triggers, you’ll be ready to develop new strategies to eliminate or reduce them so you can find more balance and be less stressed out when and after you work.

Here are 5 Additional Ways to Help you Handle a Stressful Job

Plan out your day before you start – Before you jump right into work tasks, plan out your day and get organized by writing your top priorities down in a planner or just on a sheet of paper. Try to keep your list short and concise. Be realistic about how much you can take on in one work day and cross off tasks when you complete them to help motivate yourself to stay relaxed

Take a 10 minute break – Everyone hits their unproductive slump during the work day. When yours arrives, instead of worrying about your responsibilities, take a 10 minute break to refill your coffee, take a quick walk, or just switch gears.

Exercise before or after you work – Exercise has been known to relieve stress and it does wonders for your body and overall mood. To start your day off right, squeeze in a 20 minute exercise routine into your schedule or you can workout after work to decompress. If you have a flexible schedule during the day, you can even work out during the middle of the day to recharge.

Ask for help – If you’re starting to feel very overwhelmed with your workload, don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. Ask a coworker who may have some extra time to help you with a task or try outsourcing some of the work you don’t like doing to someone else on your team. Speaking up early allows people to have enough time to jump in and help you as needed.

Get another job – When it seems like there is no way to reduce your job-related stress you have to know when it’s time to move on. You shouldn’t be dreading your job each day; that’s not normal. If you think you want to quit your job or find another one you need to develop a realistic plan first. Check your finances to see where you stand and if you can afford any lapse in income that may occur if you leave your job. You may even want to take a few months to boost your savings first before you turn in your notice.

Check Out Our Episode on Dealing with Work-Related Stress and Putting your Health First

Kayla actually quit her job last year to free up more time for her business, while Chonce developed her own strategy to help balance working full-time, parenting and side hustling without feeling stressed out.

Erin quit her day job as well to freelance full-time and knows all about dealing with stress related to working for an employer and working for yourself, while Kristi successfully manages freelancing in between taking care of her two young children.

Remember, you can control your stress levels and don’t have to put up with a stressful job. Constantly work to improve your finances and keep these tips in mind if you ever feel stressed out at work again.

Bloopers

Just in case you still don’t believe us when we said talking about money can be fun, here is short little blooper reel from our latest episode!